talkSPORT betting tips – Best racing bets and expert advice for Punchestown Festival day one
Day one of the 2025 Punchestown Festival kicks off on Tuesday with a trio of Grade 1 contests for racing fans to enjoy. The card features a clash between Ryanair Chase winner Fact To File and Queen Mother Champion Chase scorer Marine Nationale in the Champion Chase, while fellow Cheltenham Festival winners Kopek Des Bordes and Lecky Watson appear on a star-studded card. Our expert, Harry Wilson, has three selections on the card, including one in the feature race, one in the Grade 1 novice chase, and another in the Listed Handicap Hurdle. talkSPORT BET welcome offer – Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets* Punchestown Festival day one tips 15:40 Punchestown – Wilful @ 7/1 16:50 Punchestown – Impaire Et Passe @ 5/1 18:00 Punchestown – El Fabiolo @ 17/2 15:40 Punchestown – Wilful @ 7/1 The Listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle is one of the most competitive races on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival, with lots of British interest. The one who takes the eye is Jonjo and AJ O’Neill’s Wilful, who bounced back to form with a cosy success at Ayr 18 days ago after disappointing when well supported for the Morebattle Hurdle previously. That success had been coming as he produced a fine effort to finish fourth at Ascot in January in a handicap hurdle over a longer trip, with the first two home that day winning on their next starts, He’s 7lb higher than when winning at Ayr last time but his Racing Post Rating of 133 recorded that day suggests he should have more to come. 16:50 Punchestown – Impaire Et Passe @ 5/1 Ballyburn is going to prove popular in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase, despite him taking on his Brown Advisory conqueror Lecky Watson. Ballyburn pulled hard that day and his jumping technique deserted him, but he’s likely to have been doing plenty of schooling in the interim and given he’s unbeaten in four starts at Punchestown, he’s likely to do better. However, stablemate Impaire Et Passe took well to first-time cheekpieces when winning with a bit to spare in the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree, jumping much better than when behind Ballyburn at the Dublin Racing Festival in February. It may be the case that Impaire Et Passe just isn’t suited to Leopardstown, as that defeat was his third from as many starts at the venue, while he has a Grade 1 and a Grade 2 win over hurdles on his two visits to Punchestown. He shouldn’t have a problem staying this new trip and if the retained cheekpieces continue to have a positive impact, he could prove the value play against his two stablemates. 18:00 Punchestown – El Fabiolo @ 17/2 Two Cheltenham Festival heroes clash in the Champion Chase, with Ryanair Chase winner Fact To File taking on Queen Mother Champion Chaser scorer Marine Nationale in a mouth-watering clash. Fact To File should have the pace to cope with the drop back to two miles, but whether he deserves to be odds-on is a bigger question and he can be taken on by the overlooked El Fabiolo. Things haven’t gone right for El Fabiolo since he thumped subsequent Cheltenham Festival winners Dinoblue and Captain Guinness in the Dublin Chase in February last year, with mistakes accounting for most of his failures. He was much more like himself in the Webster Cup at Navan last month, though, just failing to see out the 2m4f trip in testing conditions, and the return to this track on better ground are both positives. El Fabiolo has won both of his starts at Punchestown, including winning the Grade 1 Barberstown Castle Novice Chase at this meeting without coming off the bridle two years ago on his last visit. He has five wins from six starts on right-handed tracks, with his sole defeat coming to Jonbon at his beloved Sandown, so he should enjoy going this way round as well. A return to anywhere near his best would be good enough, especially if having a clearer round of jumping. talkSPORT BET welcome offer – Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets* *all odds correct at time of writing and subject to change 18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10 on any horse racing at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 6x £5 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments & Apple Pay only. Scroll down for T&Cs. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chase their losses Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed GamCare – www.gamcare.org.uk Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites. Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs appl
Day one of the 2025 Punchestown Festival kicks off on Tuesday with a trio of Grade 1 contests for racing fans to enjoy.
The card features a clash between Ryanair Chase winner Fact To File and Queen Mother Champion Chase scorer Marine Nationale in the Champion Chase, while fellow Cheltenham Festival winners Kopek Des Bordes and Lecky Watson appear on a star-studded card.
Our expert, Harry Wilson, has three selections on the card, including one in the feature race, one in the Grade 1 novice chase, and another in the Listed Handicap Hurdle.
talkSPORT BET welcome offer – Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets*
Punchestown Festival day one tips
- 15:40 Punchestown – Wilful @ 7/1
- 16:50 Punchestown – Impaire Et Passe @ 5/1
- 18:00 Punchestown – El Fabiolo @ 17/2
- 15:40 Punchestown – Wilful @ 7/1
The Listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle is one of the most competitive races on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival, with lots of British interest.
The one who takes the eye is Jonjo and AJ O’Neill’s Wilful, who bounced back to form with a cosy success at Ayr 18 days ago after disappointing when well supported for the Morebattle Hurdle previously.
That success had been coming as he produced a fine effort to finish fourth at Ascot in January in a handicap hurdle over a longer trip, with the first two home that day winning on their next starts,
He’s 7lb higher than when winning at Ayr last time but his Racing Post Rating of 133 recorded that day suggests he should have more to come.
16:50 Punchestown – Impaire Et Passe @ 5/1
Ballyburn is going to prove popular in the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase, despite him taking on his Brown Advisory conqueror Lecky Watson.
Ballyburn pulled hard that day and his jumping technique deserted him, but he’s likely to have been doing plenty of schooling in the interim and given he’s unbeaten in four starts at Punchestown, he’s likely to do better.
However, stablemate Impaire Et Passe took well to first-time cheekpieces when winning with a bit to spare in the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase at Aintree, jumping much better than when behind Ballyburn at the Dublin Racing Festival in February.
It may be the case that Impaire Et Passe just isn’t suited to Leopardstown, as that defeat was his third from as many starts at the venue, while he has a Grade 1 and a Grade 2 win over hurdles on his two visits to Punchestown.
He shouldn’t have a problem staying this new trip and if the retained cheekpieces continue to have a positive impact, he could prove the value play against his two stablemates.
18:00 Punchestown – El Fabiolo @ 17/2
Two Cheltenham Festival heroes clash in the Champion Chase, with Ryanair Chase winner Fact To File taking on Queen Mother Champion Chaser scorer Marine Nationale in a mouth-watering clash.
Fact To File should have the pace to cope with the drop back to two miles, but whether he deserves to be odds-on is a bigger question and he can be taken on by the overlooked El Fabiolo.
Things haven’t gone right for El Fabiolo since he thumped subsequent Cheltenham Festival winners Dinoblue and Captain Guinness in the Dublin Chase in February last year, with mistakes accounting for most of his failures.
He was much more like himself in the Webster Cup at Navan last month, though, just failing to see out the 2m4f trip in testing conditions, and the return to this track on better ground are both positives.
El Fabiolo has won both of his starts at Punchestown, including winning the Grade 1 Barberstown Castle Novice Chase at this meeting without coming off the bridle two years ago on his last visit.
He has five wins from six starts on right-handed tracks, with his sole defeat coming to Jonbon at his beloved Sandown, so he should enjoy going this way round as well.
A return to anywhere near his best would be good enough, especially if having a clearer round of jumping.
talkSPORT BET welcome offer – Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets*
*all odds correct at time of writing and subject to change
18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10 on any horse racing at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 6x £5 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments & Apple Pay only. Scroll down for T&Cs. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- GamCare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org
